End of the age

Matthew 24:3
And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be he sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?"
This is how Rapture theology gets everything wrong. They totally misinterpret the whole chapter.
In chapter 23 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and condemns the city and all in it. In chapter 24 He and the disciples are on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem and the disciples are naturally concerned about what he just said. They ask him three questions.  Rapture theology or RT, treats them as only one. It's a compound question, just like the ones your English teacher gave you for homework and on the tests.

First question: When will these things be?
He doesn't answer it directly. He tells of  wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes etc. He sums it up with "and that is not the end." further he says this is just the "birth pangs."
In other words Jesus says this is situation normal for humanity. RT bases it's fear of the future on these situation normal happenings. That's why they think the Rapture will happen at any moment. Groups have sold everything and gone up on mountaintops waiting for a rapture that never comes.
Second question: What will be the sign of your coming?
Major misunderstanding of the word sign here. RT thinks this is the Rapture that Christ will call His believers into the sky and they'll be spared tribulation and great tribulation.
A sign is not a person. A billboard may have a picture of a car or boat or person, but it is not the actual car or boat or person.
The sign Jesus mentions is persecution for believers, betrayal, false prophets, lawlessness, lack of empathy, "but he who endures, he shall be saved." And "The gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to all nations, and then the end will come."
Jesus is saying when His kingdom reaches all nations then the end will come to Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. After the stoning of Stephen and subsequent persecution, this is what happened. The believers were scattered throughout all nations or at least within reach.
In verses 24-29 Jesus forewarns his believers to flee for their lives when it becomes like the days of Daniel and the abomination. There's no mention of meeting Jesus in the sky here!
The abomination mentioned here is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed.
There will be many false prophets, claiming to be the Christ, showing signs and wonders, the believers are not to follow them.
There were many false Christs, they were the ones who stirred up rebellion and led to the destruction.
Verses 27-28:
"For just as the lightning comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the son of man be. Wherever  the corpse is, the vultures will gather. 
Again lets be clear, the coming of Jesus or the Son of Man is the coming of destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. The metaphor of lightning going from east to west is the sign this destruction. 
Rome had spaced out through the empire what we would call forts. They called them castellums. Every forty or fifty miles these outposts would be manned by a cohort or six hundred men. They also acted in case of invasion or rebellion by lighting fires the message that something bad was happening. The neighboring castellums would pass on the message all the way to Rome. That is the lightning Jesus is mentioning. When the Jews rebelled against Rome in 67 Rome destroyed it three years later.

Third question: "and the end of the age?"
Finally here is where Jesus mentions His returning. The others mention the coming of His kingdom.
Verses 29-31 Here is the mention of Him coming in the sky. It's not to evacuate the believers it's to bring complete and total destruction.
He then tells the parable of the fig tree. It is here that things get messed up. Jesus refers to the damage of Jerusalem being fulfilled in this generation. Then he refers to the end of the age which is left unknown. 
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angles of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
He mentions it will be like in the days of Noah and the flood. Then He says: "So shall the coming of the Son of Man be."
In chapter 25 Jesus then tells the parable of ten virgins and the talents as further warning to be vigilant for His coming.
In verse 31 He tells of the judgement.
"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angles with Him, then he will sit on His glorious throne."
There's no mention of a physical thousand year reign or millennium. The millennium is the symbolic term to mean the time from Jesus's ascension and the beginning of his spiritual kingdom on earth, to His return to destroy the world. That is the end of the age.  
Instead of looking forward to a rapture we should be working for the kingdom of Jesus to spread His love. Not his judgement and fear. 
I digress,The word raptura is translated as being caught up. Rapture is not used in the bible. The root word of raptura or rapture is rape. It is used in this context as in time of war where the populace is caught up and enslaved. The various references to two people walking and one being taken is in reference that usually half the population of a country conquered are enslaved.

How silly is it for those waiting to be snatched against their will? How unimaginable that for those espousing RT to consider if you don't believe this way you're not a Christian.

Galatians 1: 8
But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

For all of Christian history and theology there was no mention of a rapture or all the nonsense associated with RT. Need I say more.